I’m a big fan of an ice-cream sandwich. It’s not something you get very much “casually” in the UK (eg supermarket), so I normally settle for a Freddo Sandwich. Once, for a brief glorious period, Walls did a Gingerbread Sandwich, but alas no more.
When I read about Iceland’s avalanche of sweet-based ice-creams on Kev’s Snack Reviews, it wasn’t long before both Anglo Bubbly and Parma Violet Ice Lollies were in the house.
While the Anglo Bubbly ones were actual ice-creams, I was disappointed that the Parma Violet ones were lollies. I’d been imagining rich, creamy, violetty goodness, and instead it was a frozen syrup stick.
Unimpressed by the medium but appreciating the taste, I decided to repurpose two lollies in a version of possibly my favourite cocktail, an Aviation.
As my inability to post reliably continues, this piece is being completed AFTER I have finished working in London. I’d pretend now I’ll have more time to write things, but I’m going away for a while, so this poor site will once again be neglected (pats site gently on head).
But enough of my failings, onto the violet treats!
I imagine most UK peeps have had a parma violet sweet at one time or another. Opinion is divided between “euch, perfume” and “mmm, floral nectar”.
Naturally I am of the latter camp. However while rose crops up in quite a few cuisines, violet is scarce indeed. France is the violet powerhouse, and there is even a violet festival in Tourrettes-sur-Loup I half-heartedly keep meaning to go to. Over here, you’ll have to keep your eyes peeled to enjoy this delicate flavour in a format other than the aforementioned sweets or chocolate violet creams.
Ah well, my advice is to consume violet while you can, and lobby parliament in the meantime…
If you’re like me, you probably haven’t eaten many rose desserts. They just aren’t that common. Perhaps something soaked in a rose syrup, or incorporating Turkish Delight?
Where rose goes, sugar invariably follows. These desserts are sweet – sometimes excessively so, but don’t let that stop you.
Tried:
This post was written over a year ago and then forgotten – but here it finally is.
Dessert is a course I rarely reach.
I find it very hard to ignore starters, and this inevitably means that by the time the dessert menu comes, I am full. Sometimes I have two starters and no main, or if it is a small plates place I rein it in, but I often get to the end of the meal and know that I just can’t fit anything else in.